Recommended Tools & Resources from ChrisDucker.com

There is more opportunity nowadays than there ever has been in the history of western civilization to market and expand our businesses. However, with so many options out there, in regards to services and products that you can utilize to help grow our business, it can sometimes become a little confusing.

I figured it would be a good idea to put together a list of helpful resources that you can come back to regularly for your ‘new business’ needs. Because of this, I anticipate updating it often, so I strongly suggest you create it as a separate bookmark (hit Ctrl+D now!), for easy access in the future.

Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I might earn a commission, or be compensated in some way. However, please note that these are resources, tools, etc., that I’ve either used in the past, or continue to use personally; or come from helpful companies or individuals that I know and trust… That’s why I’m listing them here for you! If you click on any of ‘em, thank you!

Building an Online Platform

Rainmaker Platform – The all in one blogging, podcasting and online platform building software that I personally use for THIS website. With hosting included, and some of the best online tutorial and customer support you could wish for, as well as landing page templates, membership site functionality, online course capabilities and more, there really is no other place to go to build a quality looking website, for the long-term.

Finding, Hiring & Training Virtual Assistants

Virtual Staff Finder – My VA match-making company. Since inception we’ve helped thousands of entrepreneurs and businesses bring calm to the outsourcing chaos, by finding them the best Filipino VA’s in the country. If you’re looking for a part-time, or full-time virtual assistant solution, this is where you need to go.

WPCurve WordPress Management – Fact is most online entrepreneurs don’t need a full-time Web Developer (myself included!). That’s why I’ve teamed up with the guys at WPCurve. They handle all my WordPress site management for a super small monthly fee – and they rock! Plain and simple – Click here to check out a quick video with one of their co-founder’s and for some sweet bonuses!

Virtual Staff Training Academy – Created and put together by my personal VA’s, for your VA’s. This is a 75+ video, 15-hour video training course that will get your General VA (GVA) up and running, right out of the box. No need to do the training yourself. The course covers everything for you.

Fiverr,Elance and Odesk – Never outsourced tasks before? Start on one of these sites and then look for a more permanent solution, such as the aforementioned Virtual Staff Finder, when you’re ready to take it to the next level.

Email Marketing and List Building

Aweber – It’s all about the list, baby! If you’re serious about creating a long-term virtual business and making money online, you need to start building an email marketing list – NOW! Aweber is the best piece of kit that I’ve come across for doing exactly this. All of my blogger buddies use it, too!

SumoMe – A great suite of list building (and more) free products from the team at AppSumo. Easy to use and install on any website.

Entrepreneurial Productivity

Dropbox – The quickest, easiest and most reliable way to share documents (written, photos, audio and video files) with your virtual assistants and co-online buddies and partners. I seriously use this thing almost hourly during my work day!

Evernote – Great note collector that can help you become super productive. Available on the web, iPad, iPhone and everywhere else where you need to make a note, clip something to read later and then move on. I love this thing.

Hubstaff – Easy to use time tracking and remote team management dashboard. Also has the ability to grab screenshots, and to create time-sheets and other reports.

Selling Products & Services Online

e-Junkie – This is what helped me make my first bits of passive income online, and I still use regularly. It’s cheap, reliable and relatively simple to use. Also comes with a cool affiliate store if you want to sell your products through it, and it’s compatible with Paypal and most other online processing merchants.

Paypal – The big player in online payment processing. You know them. You’ve heard of them. And you trust ‘em! I use Paypal for taking care of all of my online payments. Everything.

Online Video Software & Services

Splasheo – Have you seen my cool video intro, outro and lower-third animations yet? If not, watch this video, and then check out these guys. Headed up by my online video Yoda (seriously, that’s what I call him!), Gideon Shalwick, this is the service to get your videos look ‘pro’ for very little investment.

Screenflow – The editing software I use for all of the videos I put out online. It’s only available on the Mac, but is so simple to use, if you’re on a PC you might just start thinking about ‘making the move’ over!

Podcasting

Audio Technica AT2020 USB Mic – This is the mic I use on my own personal podcasts. It’s well priced, a pleasure to use, easy to speak into and makes you sound like James Earl (“Search your soul, Luke, you know it to be true…”) Jones.

Online Courses & Teaching I Recommend

Start a Blog That Matters – The perfect starting point for any new blogger. Easy to follow tutorials from Corbett Barr and guests. If I were to do a ‘Blogging Bootcamp’, this would be it.

DIY Video Guide - Put together by the ‘DIY Video Guy’, Caleb Wojcik, this is the course I wish I had when I got started with video online. Seriously. It’s a great introduction to taken everything you’re doing, video wise, to the next level, and explained in beautiful HD video tutorials all the way. Use the code ‘newbusiness’ to get 10% off!

iPhone Video Hero – Created by Jules, a 20+ year TV and film veteran (he’s worked with guys like the BBC!), this course shows you exactly what you can do with your iPhone to create incredibly hot looking videos to help promote your business and brand.

Screen Flow Hero – Put together by Jules (of iPhone Video Hero fame, above), this short, intensive course is everything you need to be able to edit your videos with ease, using Screenflow.